Australia’s Health Ministers have agreed that audiology will enter the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme (NRAS) under a “dual profession” National Board arrangement.
Audiology Australia (AudA) has advised that this means audiology will be governed through a National Board shared with one existing NRAS profession.
“At this stage, the profession that audiology will join with has not yet been determined,” AudA said in an announcement on its website on 19 May 2026.
“The Health Workforce Taskforce is currently developing a decision-making framework to guide how lower regulatory volume professions may be combined into multi-profession boards.
“Once finalised, this framework will be used to determine which existing Board/profession will join audiology.”
AudA said that advice on the proposed audiology dual board arrangement, along with the broader decision-making framework, was expected to be considered by Health Ministers later in 2026.
“At this stage, we are not aware of what consultation opportunities may occur as part of this process,” AudA said in the announcement on its website.
“However, we will continue to actively represent and advocate for the profession at every opportunity and keep members informed as further information becomes available.”
Health Workforce Taskforce update
The Australian Department of Health, Disability and Ageing released a news update from the Health Workforce Taskforce on the framework for multi profession boards in the NRAS.
The update said that in September 2025 Health Ministers agreed to regulate the audiology profession under the NRAS structure.
“Health Ministers have also agreed to establish a ‘dual profession’ National Board for the entry of audiology into the National Scheme,” the Health Workforce Taskforce news update said.
“This means establishing a National Board that will include audiology and one of the existing professions in the National Scheme.
“Health Ministers have also tasked the Health Workforce Taskforce (HWT) to develop a decision-making framework to consider the consolidation of lower regulatory volume National Boards into multi profession Boards.
“Only lower regulatory volume National Boards are in scope for potential consolidation.”
The update said parameters for determining lower regulatory volume would be further defined in the broader decision-making framework under development.
“When completed, the decision-making framework will inform recommendations to Ministers about proposed composition of any multi-profession boards,” the taskforce said.
The work to join audiology with another board and establish the decision-making framework was proceeding in parallel, it said. When finalised the decision-making framework would be applied to determine which existing board/profession would join audiology to form a dual board, it added.
“Advice on the audiology dual board option and the decision-making framework will be considered by Health Ministers later in 2026,” the taskforce said.
It said that in a multi profession board, each profession will be represented as required under the National Law.
The National Law sets out the requirements for membership of National Boards, which specifies that National Boards must include, among other things:
- Practitioner members (at least half but not more than two thirds), and if the National Board is established for two or more health professions − at least one member of each health profession for which the Board is established.
- Community members (one third).
- At least one member from each large participating jurisdiction and at least one member from a small participating jurisdiction.
